my timesThe Korea Times
  1. South Korea
  2. Defense

Photo Ultimate US weapons head for Korea

Listen
  • Published KST
  • Updated KST

USS John C. Stennis / Screen captured from Twitter

USS North Carolina / Screen captured from Twitter

USS New Orleans / Screen captured from Twitter

The U.S. is sending strategic weaponry and high-tech military vessels for South Korea-U.S. joint training exercises because of recent threats from North Korea.

The USS John C. Stennis and USS New Orleans are heading to Korea for the training. The USS North Carolina has just finished exercises with South Korean submarines.

The USS John C. Stennis is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that has unlimited operational capabilities and houses up to 6,000 personnel. The price of one aircraft carrier is estimated at $4.5 billion.

Commissioned in 1995, the vessel can carry up to 90 fighters and helicopters, including the F/A-18F Super Hornet, the E-2C Hawkeye and the SH-60 Seahawk. The ship has been involved in combat related to the Middle East.

The vessel is the flagship of the “Carrier Strike Group Three,” which usually consists of an aircraft carrier, one or more cruisers, a destroyer squadron and occasionally a submarine.

USS North Carolina is a Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine also capable of operating without limitations. Commissioned in 2008, the submarine is the last of the Block 1 Virginia-class submarines and is estimated to have cost $2.7 billion. The submarine carries 134 personnel and has 12 vertical launching systems and four torpedo tubes.

With a cruising speed of 46 kilometer an hour, it can launch 533-mm Mark 48 torpedoes, 2,400 kilometer-ranged UGM-109 tactical tomahawk missiles and sub harpoon missiles. It also holds a pressure chamber to deploy Navy SEAL divers while submerged.

USS New Orleans is a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock. It is the latest series used by the U.S. Navy.The vessel cost about $1.6 billion and can carry up to a battalion of marines. It can also hold two landing craft air cushions (LCAC) or one landing craft utility.

This is the biggest participation from the U.S. military in joint training with South Korea and includes various advanced strategic weapons. The exercises will be held next month.